IDTS 3-D Targets - A New Dimension In Target Systems

Richard Nance
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October 11, 2017

Firearm training needs to be realistic. Competent instructors tailor their courses to induce a degree of stress in students, forcing them to make proper decisions as well as hit their target under some sort of time constraint.

Ironically, even most top-'‹level instructors are way behind the times with their unrealistic, two-'‹dimensional targets. Enter ID Target Systems (IDTS) and owner Tatiana Whitlock.

Tatiana is a NRA Certified Firearms instructor, Refuse to Be a Victim instructor, and Range Safety Officer. She's also well spoken enough to be an NRA commentator. Tatiana travels the country not only as an instructor, but also as a student in order to keep her skills sharp. But Tatiana isn't just a shooter.

In addition to being a proficient martial artist, Tatiana happens to have a background in fine art, industrial design and business management. The culmination of Tatiana's design experience, passion for shooting and commitment to self-'‹defense is a unique target system that can help take your training to a new level.

These chest patch overlays force a shooter to evaluate whether or not the target is a threat.

Two-'‹dimensional paper targets are cheap and convenient. They are ideal for teaching a new shooter the fundamentals of marksmanship, recreational shooting and for competition. But if you're training to use a gun in defense, paper targets can miss the mark.

IDTS targets are made of plastic and are three-'‹dimensional, with the head and torso protruding forward from the base. Not only does the three-'‹dimensional aspect make for a more realistic-'‹looking target, it serves as a reminder to shooters that they need not be face-'‹to-'‹face with their adversary in order to register effective rounds on target. In fact, in most cases, the shooter would be better served to incorporate lateral or diagonal movement rather than standing in place as if reenacting a Wild West shootout at high noon.

As IDTS targets are made of plastic, they are more expensive than paper targets. However, they are much more durable and are capable of withstanding hundreds of rounds. In addition, rather than retire a target that is bullet ridden, you can use a "chest patch" overlay to greatly increase the target's life span.

Every IDTS kit comes with chest patches containing images of a gun or knife. Chest patches depicting a cell phone can be ordered separately. The cell phone chest patch enables the instructor to keep students honest during a shoothouse evolution, where the student clears a corner and must decide whether or not to shoot. Even on the square range, the student can work on threat discrimination by turning 180 degrees to assess the threat.

I recently evaluated the IDTS target system and was impressed. Being a proponent of close-'‹quarter shooting training, I liked the fact that you could place the palm of your off-'‹hand under the bad guy's chin and simulate driving him back as you fire at the lower torso, with your gun indexed to your chest. Shooting paper targets at arm's length tends to obliterate them, but the IDTS target remained intact, allowing me to see exactly where my rounds impacted.

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